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GREAT

CIRCLE
SAILINGS
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Great circle v Mercator

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Newcastle to San Francisco enters
the Arctic Circle 66° 33’ North

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G.C. routes in RED – Note the Icebergs

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Great circle v Rhumb line

1. ADVANTAGE
Great Circle shorter distance than Rhumb
line, therefore saving Fuel and Time.

2. DISADVANTAGE
Great Circle may take you into high
Latitudes and therefore encounter bad
weather with risk of damage to the vessel
and cargo and a slower steaming speed.

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Basic Great Circle Drawing
North Pole

D’Long

Equator

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Naming Courses

• Initial course = Elevated pole + direction of


travel

• Final course = Opposite elevated pole +


direction of travel

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Cosine formulae for Great Circle
Cos AB = (Cos P x Sin PA x Sin PB) + (Cos PA x Cos PB)

Cos AB =
C A B

(Cos P x Sin PA x Sin PB)


A B

+ (Cos PA x Cos PB)


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How Do We Find ?

• Angle PA?
Angle PA = (90° - Lat A)

• Angle PB?
Angle PB = (90° - Lat B)

• Angle P?
Angle P = (D’Long A to B) 9
Basic Great Circle Drawing
North Pole

D’Long

Equator

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Example 1
• Find the great circle distance, initial and final
tracks between the following places

A 22° 10’N 074° 56’W


to
B 49° 27’N 010° 46’W

Draw a sketch and find angles PA, PB & P (D’Long)

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Example 1
P

49°27’N B
010°46’W

22°10’N
A 074° 56’W

Equator 12
P 90° 00’N P 90° 00’N 074° 56’W
A 22° 10’N B 49° 27’N 010° 46’W
PA 67° 50’N PB 40° 33’N P 064° 10’E

C A B A B

Cos AB = (Cos P x Sin PA x Sin PB) + (Cos PA x Cos PB)

(Cos 064°10’ x Sin 67°50’ x Sin 40°33’) + (Cos 67°50’ x Cos 40°33’)

AB = 56° 41’ 55.73” = 56° 41.9’ x 60 = 3401.9287’ = 3401.9’N.M.

Distance = 3401.9’ / 60 = 56°41.9’ SAVE in D


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Example 1
P

D’Long
64°10’E

B
49°27’N
010°46’W
A
22°10’N
074° 56’W
Equator 14
Initial Course
NOTE: NO Formulae Given
– You will have to learn this!!!!!!
B A D

Cos A = (Cos PB – Cos PA x Cos AB)


(Sin PA x Sin AB)
A D

Remember (Cos B-AD)


(Sin AD)
Can use ABC tables 15
Initial Course
Cos A = (Cos PB – Cos PA x Cos AB)
(Sin PA x Sin AB)

Cos A = (Cos 40°33.0’ – Cos 67°50.0’ x Cos 56° 41.9’)


(Sin 67°50.0’ PA x Sin 56° 41.9’)

Initial course = N44° 26’ 06.64”E = N44°26.1’E = 044.4°(T)

SAVE in X
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Final Course
Cos B = (Cos PA – Cos PB x Cos AB)
(Sin PB x Sin AB)

Cos B = (Cos 67°50.0’ – Cos 40°33.0’ x Cos 56° 41.9’)


(Sin 40°33.0’ PA x Sin 56° 41.9’)

Final course = S94°12’ 34.56”E = S94°12.6’E = 85.8°(T)

SAVE in Y if required
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Comparison
Initial course = 044.4°(T)

Final course = 85.8°(T)

Comparing distances by Mercator


Great Circle distance 3401.9’
Mercator distance 3483.1’
Difference 81.2’

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Example 2
• Find the great circle distance, initial and final
tracks between the following places

A 39° 00’S 020° 00’W


to
B 40° 00’S 142° 00’E

Draw a sketch and find angles PA, PB & P (D’Long)

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Example 2 Equator

39°00’S 40°00’S
A 020° 00’W 142°00’E
B

P 20
P 90° 00’S P 90° 00’S 020° 00’W
A 39° 00’S B 40° 00’S 142° 00’E
PA 51° 00’S PB 50° 00’S P 162° 00’E

C A B A B

Cos AB = (Cos P x Sin PA x Sin PB) + (Cos PA x Cos PB)

(Cos 162°00’ x Sin 51°00’ x Sin 50°00’) + (Cos 51°00’ x Cos 50°00’)

AB = 99° 18’ 14.16” = 99° 18.2’ x 60 = 5955.235’ = 5955.2’N.M.

Distance = 5958.2’ / 60 = 99°18.2’ SAVE in D


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Initial Course
Cos A = (Cos PB – Cos PA x Cos AB)
(Sin PA x Sin AB)

Cos A = (Cos 50°00.0’ – Cos 51°00.0’ x Cos 99° 18.2’)


(Sin 51°00.0’ PA x Sin 99° 18.2’)

Initial course = S13° 52’ 54”E = S13°52.9’E = 166.1°(T)

SAVE in X
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Final Course
Cos B = (Cos PA – Cos PB x Cos AB)
(Sin PB x Sin AB)

Cos B = (Cos 51°00.0’ – Cos 50°00.0’ x Cos 99° 18.2’)


(Sin 50°00.0’ PA x Sin 99° 18.2’)

Final course = N14° 05’ 13.06”E = N14°05.2’E = 14.1°(T)

SAVE in Y if required
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Example 3
• Find the great circle distance, initial and final
tracks between the following places

A 04° 07’N 098° 55’E


to
B 41° 00’S 033° 58’E

Draw a sketch and find angles PA, PB & P (D’Long)

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A
Example 3 04°07’N
098°55’E
Equator

41°00’S
033°58’E
B

P 25
P 90° 00’N P 90° 00’S 098° 55’E
A 04° 07’N B 41° 00’S 033° 58’E
PA 94° 07’S PB 49° 00’S P 064° 57’W

C A B A B

Cos AB = (Cos P x Sin PA x Sin PB) + (Cos PA x Cos PB)

(Cos 064°57’ x Sin 94°07’ x Sin 49°00’) + (Cos 94°07’ x Cos 49°00’)

AB = 74° 14’ 19.49” = 74°14.3’ x 60 = 4454.325’ = 4454.3’N.M.

Distance = 4454.3’ / 60 = 74°14.3’ SAVE in D


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Initial Course
Cos A = (Cos PB – Cos PA x Cos AB)
(Sin PA x Sin AB)

Cos A = (Cos 49°00.0’ – Cos 94°07.0’ x Cos 74°14.3’)


(Sin 94°07.0’ PA x Sin 74°14.3’)

Initial course = S45° 16’ 11.54”W = S45°16.2’W = 225.3°(T)

SAVE in X
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Final Course
Cos B = (Cos PA – Cos PB x Cos AB)
(Sin PB x Sin AB)

Cos B = (Cos 94°07.0’ – Cos 49°00.0’ x Cos 74°14.3’)


(Sin 49°00.0’ PA x Sin 74°14.3’)

Final course = N110° 07’ 56.71”W = N110°07.9’W = 249.9°(T)

SAVE in Y if required
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Example 4
• Find the great circle distance, initial and final
tracks between the following places

A 33° 52’S 151° 16’E


to
B 12° 04’S 077° 14’W

Draw a sketch and find angles PA, PB & P (D’Long)

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Example 4 Equator
12°04’S
077°14’W
B

33°52’S
A 151° 16’E

P
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P 90° 00’S P 90° 00’S 151° 16’E
A 33° 52’S B 12° 04’S 077° 14’W
PA 56° 08’S PB 77° 56’S P 228° 30’W
P 131° 30’E
C A B A B

Cos AB = (Cos P x Sin PA x Sin PB) + (Cos PA x Cos PB)

(Cos 131°30’ x Sin 56°08’ x Sin 77°56’) + (Cos 56°08’ x Cos 77°56’)

AB = 114° 55’ 55.95” = 114°55.9’ x 60 = 6895.932’ = 6895.9’N.M.

Distance = 6895.9’ / 60 = 114°55.9’ SAVE in D


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Initial Course
Cos A = (Cos PB – Cos PA x Cos AB)
(Sin PA x Sin AB)

Cos A = (Cos 77°56.0’ – Cos 56°08.0’ x Cos 114°55.9’)


(Sin 56°08.0’ PA x Sin 114°55.9’)

Initial course = S53° 52’ 12.88”E = S53°52.2’E = 126.1°(T)

SAVE in X
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Final Course
Cos B = (Cos PA – Cos PB x Cos AB)
(Sin PB x Sin AB)

Cos B = (Cos 56°08.0’ – Cos 77°56.0’ x Cos 114°55.9’)


(Sin 77°56.0’ PA x Sin 114°55.9’)

Final course = N43° 17’ 55.43”W = N43°17.9’E = 043.3°(T)

SAVE in Y if required
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Example 5 (SQA July 2011)
• Find the great circle distance, initial and final
tracks between the following places

A 54° 21’S 064° 18’W


to
B 04° 06’N 008° 15’E

Draw a sketch and find angles PA, PB & P (D’Long)


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B
Example 5 04°06’N
008°15’E
Equator

54°21’S
064°18’W

Prime
Meridian

P 35
P 90° 00’N P 90° 00’N 064° 18’W
A 54° 21’S B 04° 06’N 008° 15’E
PA 35° 39’S PB 94° 06’S P 072° 33’E

C A B A B

Cos AB = (Cos P x Sin PA x Sin PB) + (Cos PA x Cos PB)

(Cos 072°33’ x Sin 35°39’ x Sin 94°06’) + (Cos 35°39’ x Cos 94°06’)

AB = 83° 19’ 31.46” = 83°19.5’ x 60 = 4999.524’ = 4999.5’N.M.

Distance = 4999.5’ / 60 = 83°19.5’ SAVE in D


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Initial Course
Cos A = (Cos PB – Cos PA x Cos AB)
(Sin PA x Sin AB)

Cos A = (Cos 94°06.0’ – Cos 35°39.0’ x Cos 83°19.5’)


(Sin 35°39.0’ PA x Sin 83°19.5’)

Initial course = S106° 39’ 32.46”E = S106°39.5’E = 073.3°(T)

SAVE in X
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Final Course
Cos B = (Cos PA – Cos PB x Cos AB)
(Sin PB x Sin AB)

Cos B = (Cos 35°39.0’ – Cos 94°06.0’ x Cos 83°19.5’)


(Sin 94°06.0’ PA x Sin 83°19.5’)

Final course = N34° 02’ 31.63”E = N34°02.5’E = 34.0°(T)

SAVE in Y if required
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SQA Dec 2012 Q3

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3ai) Find the Rhumb line distance between
49° 47’N 006° 27’W to 18° 20’N 067° 50’W

Start Lat 49° 47.0’N MP 3436.41 Start Long 006° 27’W


Final Lat 18° 20.0’N MP 1111.91 Final Long 067° 50’W
D’Lat 31° 27.0’S DMP 2324.50 D’Long 61° 23’W
D’Lat 1887’S D’Long 3683’W

Tan course = D’long / DMP


Tan course = 3683 / 2324.50 = S57°44.5’W = 237.7°T

Dist = D’Lat / Cos Course Use ANSwer button


Dist = 1887 / Cos 57.74 = 3535.5’ Leave 57.74221104°
on your display
Type 1887 / Cos ANS
Track 237.7°T and Distance 3535.5’
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3aii – Draw a sketch
P

49°47’N A
006°27’W

18°20’N
B 067° 50’W

Equator 41
P 90° 00’N P 90° 00’N 006° 27’W
A 49° 47’N B 18° 20’N 067° 50’W
PA 40° 13’N PB 71° 40’N P 061° 23’W

C A B A B

Cos AB = (Cos P x Sin PA x Sin PB) + (Cos PA x Cos PB)

(Cos 061°23’ x Sin 40°13’ x Sin 71°40’) + (Cos 40°13’ x Cos 71°40’)

AB = 57° 44’ 29.64” x 60 = 3464.5’N.M.

Distance = 3464.5’ / 60 = 57°44.5’ SAVE in D


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P

D’Long
61°23’W

A
49°47’N
006°27’W
B
18°20’N
067° 50’W
Equator 43
3aiii - Initial Course

Cos A = (Cos PB – Cos PA x Cos AB)


(Sin PA x Sin AB)

Cos A = (Cos 71°40.0’ – Cos 40°13.0’ x Cos 57°44.5’)


(Sin 40°13.0’ PA x Sin 57°44.5’)

Initial course = N99° 48.5’W = 260.2°(T)

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3b – Steaming times

Rhumb line 3535.3’ +1810’ = 5345.3’


Steaming time 5345.3’ / 17kts = 13d 02h 26m

GC 3464.5’ + 1810’ = 5274.5’


Adverse current 17kts – 3 kts = 14kts x 72hrs = 1008’
Remainder of passage 5274.5’ – 1008’ = 4266.5’
Steaming time 4266.5’ / 17kts = 10d 10h 58m
Total GC steam time = 10d 10h 58m + 72hrs = 13d 10h 58m

R/L 13d 02h 26m


GC 13d 10h 58m
R/L 08h 32m quicker 45
For more examples see
Position of the Vertex

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• End

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